Envelope



Patented May 4, 1886.

(No Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND REED IVHITE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ENVELOPE.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 341,297, dated May 4, 1886,

Application filed March 30, 1895. Serial No.l0.G64. (No model.)

l'o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND VHiTF., a `citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, and State ot' California, have invented certain new andusel'ul Improvements in Envelopes;

Vand I do hereby declare that the following' is a full, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to the accompanying dia\viugs.tliat form part of this specitication.

l proceed to produce, apply, and carry out my said invention substantially inthe following manner, the drawings heilig referred to by figures and letters.

Figures l and V2 show an envelope formed according to my invention, and is intended to represent it as sealed up and bel'ore the opening means is brought into use. Fig. 3 illus trates the first part of the operation in opening the envelope. FigA represents the euvelope after it is opened to take out the inelos ure. Fig. 5 shows the blank from which such envelope is formed.

In proceeding to carry out my invention I first make a slit or eut, as n, through that part ofthe envelope which forms the ilat side, and prelerably through the back or flap side. I also make the slit approxi mately parallel `with the edge ot' the envelope, and locate it back from the edge as well. Along this edge of the envelope,and just within the crease or fold, I make a line of perforations or indentations, from the outer corners* Itoward the center of the fold,and at points b2, I make a break in this line directly over the outer ends of the slit a, so as to leave the middle part of the folded edge undiminished in strength from 1r to b2. From these terminals b, I either carry lines of similar perforations or indentations,c c, parallel with each other and inward to the ends of the slit a, or I omit these lines c altogether, or

Isimply turn the ends of the slit on a sharper curve. These two modes are shown in Figs. l and 2, respectively. These lines of perforations or indentations are of suitable character to reduce the strength of the stock or material to a degree suieient to give ready separation when the material above the edge of the slit is seized and drawn outward or away from the general surface of the envelope. In suoli operation that portion between the slit and the folded edge, as shown at A, is taken out,so as to produce an opening iu the envelope of suitable size to admit the top of the finger. This entrance is large enough to permit the fingertip to be moved along the edge under the crease first to one corner and then to the other, by which the fold from thepoints b* to the points b2 is separated ou a clear sharp line. Then thus operated upon, the edge ot' the envelope will present the appearance shown in Fig. 4.

The slit a and line of separation b may be provided either along the longer side or at the end or shorter side of the envelope; but the best action and results will be attained when they are arranged at the shorter side, for the obvious reason that the operation will be shorter and the general strength of the envelope at the edge will be less affected.

\Vheu the material is of a character to readily bear on straight lines, the perfor-ations c c may be dispensed with. Envelopes of thin inaterial may not require them, but they will be found generally serviceable in the heavier classes of envelopes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An envelope havingan edge formed with diminished strength along the greater portion ot' its length and an open slit in one side of the envelope offset from the full-strength portion ofthe said edge.

2. An envelope having a slit, a, through the material and substantially parallel with one edge and lines of diminished strength b I in the material along the adjacent edge, substantially as set forth.

3. An envelope having the slit a, lines of diminished strength in the material from the ends of the slit out to the end or folded edge of the envelope, and a line ot' diminished strength along the said folded edge, substantially as described, for operation set forth.

FERDINAND REED WHITE. [L s] Witnesses: Calls. D. WHEAT,

EDWARD E. OsBoRN. 

